Electrical connector



Feb. 12, 1963 J. A. ZIMMERMAN, JR

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed June 30, 1958 2 Sheets-511961I 1 45 INVENTOR.

Joh n A .Z mmev manJn BY l Feb. 12, 1963 J. A; ZIMMERMAN, JR 3,077,572

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed June 50, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I l2 g .le I 16 um w HEI 7 INVENTOR. John P\.Z|mmermanJx BY United States Patent Oiilice 3,077,572 Patented Feb. l2, 1953 3,077,572 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR John A. Zimmerman, Jr., Hershey, Pa., assigner to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed `irme 30, 1958, Ser. No. '745,587 1 Claim. (Cl. 339-217) In designing separable electrical connections, the problem of sealing the connection against its environment has long posed a problem. It is an object of the invention to make such a connection which is easy to manufacture, simple to apply, and in final application provides a sealed connection that resists the onslaught of unfavorable environmental characteristics.

It is also an `object of this invention to provide a connector that seals itself and maintains such seal when placed in use.

It is also an object of this invention to provide such a connector .that may easily be fitted into a connector block and retained in such block in sealed engagement.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given for purposes `of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

FGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a connector embodying principles of this invention;

FIGURES 2 4 are plan views of the connector shown in FIGURE 1 illustrating various stages of assembly;

FIGURE 5 is a plan View, partially broken away, showing the connector of FIGURE l prior to being fitted into a block;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FiGURE 5 illustrating the connector assembled in the block;

FlGURE 7 shows a pair of mating blocks with connectors therein;

FIGURE S is an exploded view similar to FIGURE 1 illustrating the assembly for retaining the connector in the block.

FIGURE 8A is a view similar to FIGURE 8 illustrating the female element in the connection.

The male element A of an electrical connection may include a pin it), with a retaining sleeve 12, wire receiving means 2li and a seal-receiving means 22, a resilient sealing element 16 and the conductor 18. (The female element is identical except for a receptacle l1 instead of the pin Iii, FIGURE 7 and FlGURE 8A, and need not be described.)

As shown in FIGURES 2-4 the wire receiving portion includes a wire receiving ferrule 2t) which accommodates a bare wire 18 and is adapted to be crimped thereto. A seal receiving ferrule 22 exten-ds from the wire receiving ferrule Ztl at a short distance from one end thereof and is concentric therewith. The space between :the end of the Wire receiving ferrule 2@ and the seal receiving ferrule 22 accepts one end of the resilient sealing member 16 (which may be stepped for easier insertion). After the resilient sealing member 16 is inserted into the seal receiving ferrule 22, the wire receiving ferrule 2d is outwardly tapered (eg. by a mandrel) so that it securely grasps the seal therein, as shown in FIGURE 3.

A conductor 18 is inserted into the assembly so that the uninsulated end of the conductor is positioned within wire receiving ferrule 20 and the insulation on the wire abuts the projecting end of the ferrule (note FIGURE 4). The wire receiving ferrule 2t) is then crimped onto the conductor IS and the seal receiving ferrule 22 is deformed slightly (FIGURE 4) so as to cooperate with the tapered end of the wire receiving ferrule Zii to grasp the resilient member in secure gripping relationship.

The pin 1d has a pair of spaced lianges 24 and 26 of diiferent diameters on shank 28 which has a reduced portion 3l). The pin retaining sleeve l2 may be formed of this iiat stock and curled around the shank 2%, with an open seam to provide a degree of resiliency. The pin retaining member 12 is bulged outwardly with tabs 32 struck in one end thereof. As shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 the member 12 is seated between the flanges 24 and 26.

The blocks to be joined (FIGURE 7) include a rigid member 42 having a plurality of male connectors therein and a corresponding block eti having an equal number of receptacles (to avoid repetition, only one set of connectors is shown in FIGURE 7). The blocks are adapted to mate and a resilient seal M- is provided therein. A peripheral seal d may surround the juncture of the mating surfaces of the blocks.

Each block has a plurality of apertures d3 (FIGURES 5 and 6) each having a diameter slightly larger than the flange 26 but smaller than the major diameter of the resilient seal l5. Within each aperture d8 is a portion 34 having a reduced diameter so that the tab 32 and the ilange Z6 locate the connector assembly in its proper assembled position, note FIGURE 6.

When the connector assembly enters the aperture 43, the tapered nose on the forward end of the pin retaining member i2 permits it to be contracted for insertion into the reduced portion 34 `of the aperture siti (FIGURE 5). After the pin retaining member l2 has passed through the reduced portion 34- it again expands outwardly so that the tabs 32 and the llange 26 restrain longitudinal movement of the assembly. The reduced portion 34 retains the shank 28 and the sleeve 12 in firm engagement due to the springiness of the metal stock.

The resilient seal llo has a major diameter 3S slightly rounded at 3e so that it will iit into the aperture in the block. Since the aperture is smaller than the major diameter 35 of the resilient sealing means le, the seal will be compressed and longitudinally extruded, as shown in FIGURE 6. This effects a sealed connection which firmly grasps the wire by compression and protects the connection against the intrusion of moisture. The two blocks are joined and peripherally sealed as shown in FIG- URE 7.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only.

I claim:

A device Vof the character described including: a shank with a pair of spaced anges, said shank having a reduced diameter portion, a radially expandable sleeve surrounding said shank, said sleeve being tapered toward the reduced diameter portion of the shank, at least one tab on the sleeve in the area of the reduced diameter portion of the shank, a ferrule adapted to be crimped onto a conductor extending from the major `diameter portion of the shank, means for sealing the conductor against the intrusion of moisture, comprising a resilient sealing member held in compression on lthe conductor at least at its front juncture iwi-th tie ferru-le, and means on the shank for etecting an electrical connection, a rigid member having an aperture therein, said device adapted to lit the aperture in the rigid member, and said tab frictionally engaging the inner surface of said aperture, said aperture being counterbored at each end sothat the minor diameter is larger than the diameter of the shank but less than the ldiameter of one of said anges, and the major diarneter is greater than the diameter of the flanges but less than the fuliy expanded diameterof the tab.

References Cited in the leV of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,008,650 Weatherhead July 16, '1935 4 Watts Oct. 29, 1946 Adams Aug. 2, 1949 Burtt et a1 Sept. 14, 1954 Pollock Oct. 5, 1954 Watts Nov. 23, 1954 Heibel Feb. 22, 1955 Richards Aug. 7, 1956 Frey Nov'. 6, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 5, 1945 

